Self-adjusting clutch reaction plate

摘要

A self-adjusting clutch (10) can include an automatic adjustment mechanism (20) for decreasing an axial dimension within a clutch pack (14). The adjustment can compensate for wear of the facing surfaces of interposed members located within the clutch pack (14), resulting from repeated engaging and disengaging under a clutch apply load within the clutch (10). The adjustment mechanism (20) can include a reaction plate (12) normally biased toward the clutch pack (14) by a plurality of first springs (22). The adjustment mechanism (20) can further include a plurality of pawls (24) supported for rotation by the reaction plate (12) and biased by a plurality of second springs (26) toward a locking position with respect to a ring member (36). The plurality of pawls (24) can lock the reaction plate (12) against axial movement in a direction of the clutch apply load during clutch actuation.

主权项

1. In an automatic adjustment mechanism (20) for axially changing a positional relationship between a clutch pack (14) including an array of interposed members having facing surfaces and a clutch actuation mechanism, wherein the automatic adjustment mechanism (20) decreases an axial dimension between adjacent members of the array to compensate for wear of the facing surfaces that occurs when repeatedly engaged and disengaged under a clutch apply load within a self-adjusting clutch (10), the clutch (10) for transmitting power using frictionally engaging members of the clutch pack (14) for securing and releasing driving continuity between a driving shaft (44) and a driven shaft (46), wherein the driving shaft (44) and driven shaft (46) are rotatable about a common axis and support the array of interposed members having facing surfaces spaced along the common axis and co-axial with the driving and driven shafts (44, 46), where some members of the array are constrained to rotate with one of the driving and driven shafts (44, 46) and other members of the array are constrained to rotate with the other of the driving and driven shafts (44, 46) while being movable along the common axis, the clutch actuation mechanism for moving the members toward one another for mutual engagement of the facing surfaces of the members when the clutch (10) is engaged, the improvement comprising:
a reaction plate (12) normally biased toward the clutch pack (14); and a plurality of pawls (24) supported for rotation by the reaction plate (12) for acting against a ring member (36) located coaxial with the common axis and radially adjacent to the reaction plate (12), the plurality of pawls (24) normally biased toward a locking position against the ring member (36) to prevent axial movement of the reaction plate (12) along the common axis in a direction of the clutch apply load, while being movable into a released position with respect to the ring member (36) to allow axial movement of the reaction plate (12) along the common axis in a direction opposite from the clutch apply load in response to removal of the clutch apply load to compensate for any axial dimension wear of the array of interposed members located within the clutch pack (14), thereby providing automatic adjustment of the length of the clutch pack (14) along the common axis.